Don't You Know? That You're A Shooting Star
by wolverinelover667894
Summary: Zada  is troubled to say the least. She's only known because of her last name and that's all anybody wants to talk about. Her dad. The last subject she even wants to think about. Then she meets Charlie and things change direction for better or worse.
1. The Basics Of Complication

**A.N. - I own nothing except my made up characters. But I do not own Max, Charlie, Noisy Boy, or Atom! Thank you please read and review!**

**()()()()()()**

It was the best night of her life. Or rather the best fight. She'd followed in her dad's footsteps and surpassed where he'd stopped. Not that he'd willingly stopped; he had to because he'd died that fateful day. But I'm getting ahead of the story here. Where to start? Well I guess I should start at the beginning.

**()()()()()()**

"It's a girl." The nurse said handing Jennifer Zaba her new born. Jen wished the father was there but he'd left for a fight.

**()()()()()()**

I know, I know! It's not enough but let me say something! This was a common occurrence. No, not having a baby! The father being away at a fight. You see Jen was what you could call 'unofficially' married to him but they loved each other and what they did. Yes, they may have lost some money but they could earn it back. However, things could change in an instant.

**()()()()()()**

5 years old

"Come on Zada! Move! Left, right left! Good! Nice aim!" her father called as she sparred in the ring. The ring was where Zada belonged; it was in her blood, heart and soul.

As she finished a policeman walked up to her dad. They exchanged a few sad words, and the officer placed a hand on his shoulder. Slowly her father turned to look at her before turning back to the officer and they exchanged more sad words before the officer left.

"Come here, Za." Her father said hoisting her onto his lap as they sat in the now quiet gym. Her dad had cleared out the gym as soon as the policeman had left.

"What is it Daddy?" She asked her innocent gray eyes looking into his blue ones.

He delicately tucked a piece of loose hair behind her ear, "Honey, Mommy had an… accident."

"Is she hurt?" Even though she was young his daughter always seemed to understand things beyond her years.

"Mommy won't be coming home." He said trying to be strong as tears welled in his daughter's eyes as she understood exactly what he was trying to say, "It's okay. I promise we'll make it through this together." He whispered pulling her to his chest as a tear escaped and slipped down his cheek.

**()()()()()()**

17 years old

Ever since her mother had died she and her dad had been inseparable. Though they loved boxing, the robots these big companies kept coming out with were slowly but surely taking over. Sure young boys and boys that wanted to train robots still took lessons but it almost wasn't enough.

"Okay, you're good enough to spar Zada now." Her dad said walking over with an older boy to the ring as he gave his daughter a nod. She had a lesson coming up in ten minutes but the little boys always love to watch sparring sessions. She stopped her jump rope training and got in the ring putting on sparring gear.

"You want me to spar a _**girl! **_" The boy laughed.

"Zach, don't underestimate her. You should never underestimate an opponent. But she's been doing this since she could walk." Her dad warned.

Zach took the gear she handed him smugly and lazily put his arms up to start.

The bell rang and Zada came at him with hard quick left uppercut, followed by a right roundhouse that had him seeing stars. Zach stumbled back and Zada kept coming. Left, right, left she landed everyone until he fell to the floor.

"Next time, I suggest you take my daughter seriously, Zach." Her dad said leaning over him.

"How long did I last?" He asked painfully.

"About twenty seconds." Zada snapped, "You gonna try again or are you just gonna lay there?"

Slowly Zach got up and back into position.

"One question." Zada said, "Are you gonna listen to me and my father now?"

"Yes." He grunted.

"Without question?"

"Yes!"

"Tell me sincerely." She growled.

"Yes, I promise." Zach said sincerely.

The bell rang and they started their training again. As Zada's class watched awed at what had happened.

**()()()()()()**

You know it's funny that Zada's name means the lucky one because she sure didn't feel lucky. Especially after this.

**()()()()()()**

21 Years Old

As Zada watched her dad spar an old friend she couldn't help but think that he'd lived up to his name.

Vincenzo Xander had conquered almost every opponent he'd faced. From the mid-weight championship, to being a sudden single dad, to keeping up with the robot fighting that was becoming more and more popular, and even keeping his gym open.

Vincenzo means conquerer and in her eyes he could conquer anything.

Suddenly her dad fell, Zada rushed for him jumping over the ropes in a single bound. She ripped off the head gear, "Dad! Dad! What's wrong? Dad!" she yelled franticly.

The friend called 911 while Zada continued to try and wake him up.

"Dad! Wake up danmmit! Wake up! Dad! Dad!" she cried, shaking him as tears streamed down her face. By the time the ambulance got there it was too late.

**()()()()()()**

The one thing he couldn't conquer… death. I know, I know it's sad but trust me, _**this **_is where it gets interesting.

**()()()()()()**

7 Years Later

Zada woke up to a poke in her side, "You gotta move your truck before it gets towed." A janitor said.

She rolled onto he hands and knees and slowly got up as head ached. She made her way to her truck, which had a group of men around it.

"Okay, away from my truck before I knock you all out." She growled pushing her way through them.

"Hey! You're the girl whose bot got destroyed last night!" One of them called.

"What's it to ya?" She snarled her head protesting the noise and light.

"Well afterwards you got pretty drunk." Another man said.

"What? A woman ain't allowed to drink a little?" She snapped defensively.

"Well I wanted to show you a good time but I didn't want to take advantage of something so sweet. I wanted you to remember it, so I figured I'd help you into your truck." One of the younger men said stepping up to her.

"Yeah, right! Now ya'll better move or I'll run you over, no problem!" She yelled climbing into her huge hauling truck.

She drove by her father's old gym and then to an old field to park her truck and catch up on some much needed sleep.

**()()()()()()**

You see Zada tried to keep her father's gym open. It was her home, especially after her mom had died. But she couldn't afford to. She had no students anymore and no room to keep or hold robot fights so she had to sell it because it was a money pit. At this point she lived out of her truck, broke into the junk yard to steal useable parts, and practically rebuilt robots herself, and still she could barely live off of that. She was a drifter, granted a famous drifter known for her temper and never give up attitude, but still a lone lonely drifter.


	2. Let's Get It Started

**A.N. - Again I own nothing except Zada and Vincenzo plus the robots I make up. Other than that I claim nothing! Please r&r thank you!**

**()()()()()()**

"Oh, come on! What are all you big bad boys **afraid** to take a girl on?" Zada yelled standing on the edge of the ring, she was buzzed but still sober enough to kick ass for real or with robots.

Finally a man about her age stepped up, "I'll do it but only if she let's me buy her a drink." He said.

"Deal! Now get your ass in the ring!" She barked grabbing her headset.

The announcer stepped up to the microphone, "In this corner is the master of disaster, all the way from Pennsylvania, please welcome Factor X!" He pointed towards Zada's home built robot, "And in this corner, a hometown favorite, please welcome Aero the Eliminator!" He said with his announcer voice.

Zada brought her robot out, hands up and ready to strike. When the bell rang Zada struck with an uppercut, followed by a left roundhouse. Aero staggered back but came back with a right roundhouse and a quick left jab wick knocked Factor X back. She quickly regained balance and jumped at Aero, "Send him uptown Fact!" She yelled into her headset over the crowd. Zada's robot squatted down and shot up with both fists together and connecting with Aero's chin.

Aero fell backwards and Fact jumped on top beating him until he was destroyed. The crowd roared so loud that it vibrated the stadium.

After Zada took her bow and Aero was cleaned up (that is what was left of him) she sat at the bar.

"Wow, sorry to hear about your dad." Zach said, "How have you been?"

"Living out of my truck just trying to get by. How about you?" She asked her old friend that her dad had trained.

""About the same." He answered sadly.

Suddenly the announcer introduced Noisy Boy. Zada turned along with Zach.

"Yes that's right folks! **The **Noisy Boy!" the announcer assured the crowd.

Zada walked for the ring to find a man with a headset and a little boy. She watched as Noisy Boy started off good but then got destroyed.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" She yelled walking up to the man.

"Woah! Who are you and what are you talking about?" He said taken aback by her outburst.

"You destroyed Noisy Boy! A **world renowned **bot! You apparently have NO idea what you're doing!" She snapped.

"Excuse me! Do you know who I am I'm Charlie Kenton." Charlie snapped.

"Apparently you don't know who **I **am! I'm Zada Xander." Zada Snapped back.

"You're **the **Zada Xander! Vincenzo Xander's daughter?" The little boy asked excited.

"Yes I am, why do you care?" She asked.

"Your dad was one of the best fighters ever and considering you were trained by him, I've always wanted to meet you both!" He explained dancing around.

"Thank you but I need to talk to Charlie here." Zada said.

"That's my dad." Max said.

"Ok! 1- You ruin Noisy Boy because you're stupid and washed up! 2- you bring a **child **let alone the fact that he's your **son** to an underground fight club!" She yelled at Charlie.

"Oh I'm sure your father approves of you doing this!" Charlie yelled back.

Zada got a shock and quickly regained herself, "My Father's dead." She growled quietly before running off.

"Great! First you take a stupid bet and now you upset my hero!" Max snapped and ran after her.

**()()()()()()**

Zada sat on the curb a bottle of rum in her hand and tears in her eyes, "I'm sorry Dad." She whispered before taking a swig from the half drunk bottle.

"Hey, ignore Charlie. He's an idiot who takes stupid bets because of his ego." Max said appearing beside her.

"How old are you?" Zada said quickly wiping her eyes and nose.

"I'm 11, like I said ignore Charlie." He answered.

"Smart kid." Zada muttered more to herself than to Max.

"When did he die?" He asked curiously.

"That topic isn't open for discussion." She took another swig.

"Why are you crying?"

"That discussion isn't open either." She said after she swallowed.

""Okay, what topic IS open?"

"Boxing, robots, and drinking." She told him gruffly.

"I'm sorry your dad died." He told her softly.

"The next person that tells me that is getting their lights knocked out!" she growled.

"Max! **Never** do that again!" Charlie yelled jogging up to them, "Zada I didn't know. I'm sorry to hear about-"

Zada jumped up at the word sorry and hit Charlie with a left uppercut, quickly knocking him out.

**()()()()()()**

"Max? Zada?" Charlie said confused as he woke up in an unfamiliar truck. He slowly sat up and saw Zada and Max at a table talking. He stood up and staggered towards them clinging to the wall for support.

"Woah! Sit down." Zada jumped up, held him up, and sat him on a small couch.

"What happened?" He asked dazed.

""Zada knocked you out cold with one punch!" Max said excitedly.

"The funny thing is I was drunk too." She added standing above him.

Charlie looked to his son, back at Zada, then back to Max, "Thanks for helping me out." He snapped sarcastically.

"Hey it's not my fault you pissed her off!" Max said with his hands raised.

"How long was I out?" Charlie asked gaining strength as Zada handed him a Twinkie. He gave her an odd look.

"Just eat it and about two hours. I fed max and I need to get back in there." She said.

Charlie noticed an empty bottle of rum on the table where she had been sitting and plenty of other bottles sitting around, "Well thanks but we best be going now." He stood to leave after he finished his Twinkie.

"Get outa my hair. Here, sorry it doesn't have my dad's on it." She handed max a picture of her and her dad with her autograph on it.

**()()()()()()**

"She would take on boys all the time. She helped train some of the last robot trainers and some of the greatest. She sparred Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson!" Max said as they got in the truck. Since they left Zada's He hadn't shut up about her.

"So you really admire her don't you?" Charlie asked getting out his keys.

"Yeah!"

"You like her don't you? Think she's hot?" Charlie said looking at his son smirking.

"No… No I don't." He denied but with a look that said yes.

"Yes you do. Admit it." Charlie laughed.

"okay yes. She's seriously hot." He admitted reluctantly.

"Well let me tell you this, you got good taste kind. You've got seriously good taste." Charlie said as they drove off.

**()()()()()()**

"Where'd you go?" Zach asked when Zada returned.

"It's complicated. Sorry I ran off. It was nice seeing you again, Zach." She said and walked off again.

**()()()()()()**

"So this is your bot, Factor X?" The man Zada had brought back to her truck asked looking at the robot in front of her living quarters in the back of her truck.

"Yes but I didn't bring you here to talk about robots. Now get your ass over here." She snapped sitting on her couch.

He sat beside her, weaved his fingers into the hem of her shirt, and kissed her furiously. He moved to her neck as she slipped her hands under his shirt.

"You know your bot's good considering he was run by a girl." He muttered against her neck.

Suddenly she pushed him away.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked confused.

"Get out and don't come back." She growled standing up.

"What the hell changed?" He exclaimed standing up as well.

"You wanna know what changed? Your comment about me and my boxer fucking changed! Now get out before I knock you out." She yelled.

"Who do you think you are?" He yelled back, stepping up to her.

"Zada Xander, Bitch." She growled hitting him with a left jab followed by a right uppercut and knocked him out. She threw him out the back of her truck and drove off.

**()()()()()()**

You see this was a typical night for Zada at a fight. Well except the kid but that's beside the point. She couldn't deal with losing her dad AND her only possible career all at the same time. She had nobody to lean on. Nobody to reassure her or help her. It was just her.

Zada's life was boxing and her dad. Vincenzo had been the best boxing trainer in the world. He'd trained 3 world champs and he'd been put into the world boxing hall of fame. He was on his way to the top again with robot trainers and his own robots when he died. After he died she had to sell the robots to pay for the funeral and a year later the gym had to be sold because she couldn't afford to keep it open.

Zada felt like she'd let her father down by going to underground fight clubs, taking bad bets, and running from loan sharks all the time. Not only was she running from loan sharks but she was also trying to run from the pain. The pain of losing her father and her career. The constant ache in her chest that she refused to acknowledge was there, but flared up at the mention of her father. Usually she could quickly get it under control again. However, what Charlie had said that night echoed endlessly in her head and she couldn't help but keep running. Only alcohol ever dulled the pain and sleep took it away until she woke up again.

**()()()()()()**

"Let me go danmmit!" Zada yelled. She'd lost the fight, lost a good bit of money, and managed to get caught by one of the loan sharks.

"Where's my money, Zada?" A voice said as the image of Lance emerged out of the darkness.

"Lance, what are you doing here?" she asked going still in the sharks grip.

"I heard you were in town and I thought I'd pay my prettiest client a visit." Lance said sweetly.

"Look I just lost a fight, so I really don't have your money but I can get it to you in a week. I just have to rebuild my bot and get him working good and ill get you your money." She said as the shark held her arm in his tight painful grip.

"You know Zada, I've been hearing that from you fro three years." He leaned towards her putting his face close to hers, "I'm tired of waiting and I think it's time you paid up… one way or another." He whispered.

"Seriously? You can't be serious!" She groaned automatically knowing what he wanted.

"It's either that or… this." He nodded to his shark and he punched her in the gut. She doubled over in pain, "And you know I'd **hate** to have to ruin that pretty face of yours."

"If I do will I still owe you the money?" She asked as the pain in her gut began to dull and the pain in her chest began to flare up again.

Lance thought about it for a minute, "If you choose the hard painful way, yes. However if you take the no pain option, I'll consider us even." He gave her a wolfish smile.

"Fine, I'll do it." She said.

"Good, I'll have Vinney here bring you to my house." Lance disappeared in the shadows.

**()()()()()()**

Yes! Yes! I know what you're saying, "Stupid Zada! Why would you do that!" But you see Zada was desperate. Lance was the biggest, richest, youngest, and most impatient of all the people she owed money to. He was also the most violent with merciless sharks that would do whatever he wanted and throw in extras whenever possible.

So it was either face possible and painful death or go with Lance. What would you choose if you had no other way out?

**()()()()()()**

As Zada drove the next day she felt filthy. She searched for a cheap hotel for the night so she could get a shower, get herself organized, look for a new bot, and hopefully find a fight.

"Look I can take the broken bot off your hands, free of charge!" She said freshly showered with notes spread out everywhere.

"Alright, I'll meet you at the zoo tomorrow at 11." The man said.

"Sounds good, thank you Mr. Westen." Zada hung up. This was great she could pick up her bot, fix him up quick, and put him in a fight at the zoo. She could make some easy money and work a plan. She already had a name for her new bot.

Suddenly a knock on the door scared her. She looked through the peephole to see Charlie standing there, she quickly opened it.

"What do you want?" She said obviously suspicious of him.

"Well, if you're gonna be like that I guess you don't want it back." Charlie turned to leave.

"Want what back?" She snapped stepping forward.

Charlie turned back to face her, "You gonna play nice?"

"I can't make any promises." She said.

"Ooh, risk factor. I like it." He smirked.

"Well… what do I want back?" she asked after a moment.

"Oh, here." He pulled a small bottle of perfume from his pocket and held it out to her on his hand, "I found Max smelling it. Honestly, I think he slept with it."

Zada giggled and walked into the room.

Charlie followed and watched as she put it in a bag. He noticed the notes spread out everywhere and picked one up. It looked like plans to make a robot.

"You makin a new bot?" He asked.

Zada turned sharply, "Why do you care?"

"Well I heard Factor X got destroyed and this looks like plans. Damn good ones if you ask me." He said holding up the note.

"You weren't supposed to see any of this." She snapped, snatching the note from his hand and setting it down, she grabbed his arm and began to push him backwards when they both froze. The tension in the air was thick enough to cut and slowly their eyes met. Zada's gray meeting Charlie's brown. She quickly moved them towards the door, shut it, and pushed him into the wall. As their mouths connected she ran her hands in his short hair as his hands found their way into the back pockets of her jeans to pull her body against his. They kissed like that furiously for a few minutes before Zada pulled back and pushed herself away.

"What's wrong?" Charlie asked as she stood there breathing heavy and wide eyed.

"You… you should go." She shook her head trying to get her thoughts into some kind of sensible order.

"Yeah, Max is in the truck anyway. Um… so I guess I'll see you later." It sounded like a question as he opened the door.

"Yeah, see ya." She said awkwardly.

**()()()()()()**

"What took you so long?" Max questioned Charlie when he got back in the truck.

"We were talking." He answered starting the truck.

"About what?"

"Boy you're a nosy little one aren't you?" Charlie scoffed.

"What were you talking about?" Max growled.

"We were talking about adult things." Charlie said to shut him up.

**()()()()()()**

When Charlie left Zada sat on the floor, "What the hell is wrong with me?" She asked herself, "What the hell did I do?"

She cleaned up and went to bed with warring emotions on her mind.

**()()()()()()**

You see Zada's dad had always told her to stay away from guys like Charlie Kenton. He even mentioned him by name. you see Vincenzo knew Charlie well and could see what he would end up being when the robots finally took over. However, Zada couldn't see it wand was almost the same way herself. But she felt like she let her father down yet again and at the same time realized that she liked him.


	3. Climbing The Ladder

**A.N. - again I own nothing and if you made it this far thanks for hangin in there! Again please r&r it is greatly appreciated!**

**()()()()()()**

Zada's spirits were high as she wielded together her new bot to better protect him. All she had to do was finish wielding on the amour she'd stolen off a G2 sparring bot at the junk yard, install the shadow function she'd stolen too, and install Factor X's hard drive and voice recognition software and she could fight. She had Kingpin's bot in mind to fight especially since Kingpin was an idiot and she could beat the reigning champ.

"Hey, what are you doin here?" She heard a voice behind her.

She stopped wielding, lifted up her helmet, and turned to see Charlie standing there, "What are **you** doing here?" She said flipping off the arc wielder.

Charlie couldn't help but notice how tight and low cut her white wife beater was and how her holey blue jeans were tight in all the right places and loose everywhere else. How she was covered in dirt and sweat and her hair was wild and falling out of her ponytail, but even through all that she was beautiful.

"Dude! What are you doing here?" Zada yelled to get his attention.

"Oh! Max found a G2 bot and he's dead set on fighting it. So here we are." He snapped out of his daze.

"Awesome." She said dryly, "Do you mind? I really need to finish my bot." She snapped testily.

"Could I talk to you about something?" He asked nervously.

"Sure as long as you don't mind if I wield while you talk." She said and jumped in the back of her truck to start rummaging for something.

"Well… I'd like to talk about last night." He started.

"What about last night?" she asked hopping out and handing him a wielding helmet, "So you don't go blind."

He put on his helmet and they both flipped them down as Zada started wielding again.

"Um…" he quickly checked for Max before he said, "Did I do something wrong?"

"No, what are you getting at?" she grabbed another piece of amour.

Í want to know why you freaked out last night, when we kissed." He said.

Zada turned off the wielder and lifted her helmet as she took off her gloves, "Why do you need to know? Are you **that** insecure that if a girl makes a mistake and kisses you then realizes it and stops that you think it's you?" She snapped.

"No, I'm not insecure. Period." He objected.

"Well apparently you are, if you have to ask me that question!" She took off the wielding helmet and Charlie did the same as Max walked.

"What question? What's going on?" Max asked confused.

"Nothing that concerns you." Charlie said, "If you want to see how secure I am, fight me right now!" He put his fists up and Zada followed suit.

"Charlie, you might want to watch out for-"Max started.

"Max! Stay out of this!" He snapped as he danced with Zada.

Suddenly she shot forward with a hard left jab followed by a light right body blow, and another hard left. Charlie stumbled back surprised.

"Holy shit! You're a southpaw?" He exclaimed.

"Uh, duh! How do you **not** know that? Zada is only the hottest southpaw ever!" Max exclaimed from behind them.

"Got that right, Bitch. Now go take care of your son before I kick your ass in front of him for the second time." She growled, going back to her bot.

**()()()()()()**

"Hey nice job, Kid." Zada said and ruffled Max's hair as he came out of the arena.

"Never woulda won, if it wouldn't have been for me." Charlie scoffed.

"YOU need to come with me now." Zada growled.

Charlie rolled his eyes.

"Max, go collect your hard earned prize money and put Atom away while I talk to Charlie okay?" She bent down to his level.

"Yeah, okay."

"Thanks." She kissed his cheek and he nearly fell over from the excitement of it.

"He'd jump off a cliff if you asked him to." Charlie said as Zada led him a secluded side of the building.

"Yeah and I can use that to my advantage if I need to." She shoved him into the wall and once again their mouths connected with a hot fiery need. Charlie went with it as her hands ran through his hair and his hands went under her shirt and grabbed her oh so evident hips. He moved down her jaw as her hands moved to his shoulders.

"Hey! That's **MY **girl!" Came Max's enraged voice.

They jumped and turned to look at him.

"Charlie, Leave. Me and Max need to talk." Zada said.

As Charlie tried to walk by, Max punched him in the stomach and Zada pulled him away. She sat on the ground and sat Max on her lap.

"Look Max, it's nice that you like me but-"

"Like you? I love you!" he interrupted.

"Yeah, there's the problem. You're 12 and I'm 28 that's 18 years between us and I don't date guys younger than me. Look I don't mean to hurt your feelings but I'm saying that I'm not the girl for you. We can be friends but nothing more, okay?" she tried to explain it to Max.

"Okay."

"Thank you." She hugged him tight, "now why don't you go apologized to your dad." They stood to go find Charlie.

**()()()()()()**

"Seriously! How do you do that?" Charlie asked Zada as Max walked around happily.

"Honestly, I don't know. I guess it's just a woman thing." She said.

"Well is it a woman thing to beat me up then make out with me, or is that one of your special things for me?" He smirked.

Zada laughed and pushed his chest. The contact made both their heart rates pickup and they quickly broke it.

"Well nice job, Max. I'm sorry to leave but I have a fight to get to." She turned for her truck, when Charlie grabbed her arm.

"Hey, I was thinking maybe we could have dinner after your fight?" He said.

"Um…" She looked from Charlie to Max and back.

"I'm buying." He offered.

"I guess. Right now I really have to get to my fight." She said.

"I can help you." Charlie said.

"Oh sorry unlike your son, I know what I'm doing and any other help you'd like to provide would only make me late." She ran off leaving two boys loving her in two very different ways.

"Come on Abe, we can do this." Zada said into her headset as the second best Champion came out. She was supposed to fight the champ but Max had kinda short-circuited him so this joker would have to do.

Zada came at the big bot with her smaller, more slender bot with a quick jab and duck. She worked him around like that until his guard went down, then she went in for the kill. She hit him with an uppercut, then a double up punch. The other bot short- circuited and Zada made $2,000 for winning and another $2,000 for the two rounds she survived. The crowd went silent then wild as Zada quickly exited the arena.

**()()()()()()**

"So how's he been?" Zada asked Charlie while max was in the bathroom at the restaurant they were at.

"He's been like a junkie on crack. He's seriously addicted. He can't wait until the next fight we take Atom to." He said smiling. Zada loved his smile. When Charlie smiled, it was like she wasn't alone anymore. Like she could get over her father's death and her lost career instead of running from it.

"Ah, young love. How nice it must be." Zada giggled with Charlie. She got a distant look in her eyes and seemed to look somewhere beyond Charlie.

"Hey you okay?" He asked as he wiped something wet from her cheek. She hadn't even realized she was crying until that moment.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Thanks." She took hold of his hand and pressed her palm to his. His hand outlined hers and she just looked at it. She felt his calloused hand against hers and she closed her eyes and imagined it was her father's. She was taken back to the day before he died.

"Zada, when I'm gone, I want you to remember the feeling of my hand against yours and the sound of my voice and remember I'm always with you. No matter what." He told her as he had their hands the same way hers was against Charlie's.

"I'm sorry Dad." She whispered her eyes still closed.

Charlie patiently waited as an assortment of emotions crossed Zada's face.

Zada laced their fingers and squeezed his hand. Slowly she opened her eyes,"Sorry about that. Um, you were saying?" she dropped his hand, sniffed and took a drink.

"It's alright. I understand." His brown eyes met her gray ones with understanding.

"I'm STARVING!" Max said taking his seat next to Zada.

"Well our orders should be here soon." Charlie said.

"Zada, Abel is awesome! You built him?" Max asked.

"Yeah, I salvaged what I could from Fact, his voice recognition software and hard drive and put it in along with some G2 sparring armor I found. But yeah I can thank Dad. When the robots started coming out we'd build bots together from scratch." She explained remembering their time together.

"What was your mom like?" Max asked out of the blue.

"Well… I don't remember much but I remember one time she took me to one of Dad's championship fights. I was so short I couldn't see so she sat me on her shoulders and said, "See Daddy? He's fighting for you, Baby. He's fighting for you." Dad always said I looked like her with his attitude.

"What happened to her?" Max asked softly.

"She died in a car accident when I was five."

"How'd your dad die?"

"Max, let's change the subject." Charlie said. He could see Zada was having a hard time.

"No it's okay. I need to talk anyway." She stopped him. She took a deep breath, "He was sparring one of his old friends and when he just dropped. I tried to wake him and john called 911 but it was too late. The doctor said he had a small hole in his lung, from a cracked rib. It was plugged but it dislodged and he… he bled out internally." She said thickly.

"I'm sorry, Za." Charlie said.

"No need. Now, where did you get that G2 bot again?" She changed the subject.

**()()()()()()**

You see Zada and Charlie could understand each other without trying. They unwillingly parted ways and as Max and Charlie climbed the ladder and made money, Zada was right behind them both of the bots got major media attention and were quickly famous. Then came the night of their first league fights.

**()()()()()()**

"Don't freak out on me, Max. We freak and it all goes to hell. Just be calm." Charlie paced as Max calmly worked on Atom.

"Sounds like you're the one that needs to calm down." Came a familiar voice from the doorway.

Both boys looked to see Zada leaning in the doorframe lazily, totally relaxed.

"Hey Za."

"How have you been?" they said together. Max went back to working on Atom and Charlie walked up to her.

"Good but you need to come with me. I want a second opinion on a hose for my arm and I don't trust the league mechanics as far as I can throw them." She led him out of the room.

Once they were in Zada's set up room, he noticed that it was strangely empty.

Suddenly Zada's mouth was in his and he was backed against the metal table. Her arms were slung around his neck to pull herself closer to him. He sat her on the table so she didn't have to stretch and once again grabbed her hips. She pushed his shirt up to show his hard strong abs and chest and Charlie pulled it over his head and let it fall to the floor. Her hands traced the lines and contours of his muscles as his mouth moved to her neck. She moaned softly into his shoulder as his hands slowly climbed her back and his fingers traced her shoulder blades. She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed pressing her face to his chest as his mouth continued on her neck.

Suddenly they heard someone clear their throat uncomfortably. They turned to see a small man in the doorway, "I'm sorry to interrupt…" he quickly examined the scene of a shirtless Charlie with his hands up Zada's shirt as she sat on the table with her arms around him, "Whatever this is but both of you have been requested in the king suite."

"The what?" Zada asked obviously annoyed.

"The Zeus suite." He explained.

"What do the want?" Charlie asked pulling away from Zada.

"They didn't tell me. I'm just supposed to bring you two and the boy."

"You have Max?"

"He's outside."

"We'll be out in a minute." Zada hopped off the table and put herself back together as Charlie put his shirt back on.

**()()()()()()**

The Zeus Suite

"Relax Zada." Charlie cooed and wrapped an arm around her waist.

"No. They want something. I don't want something. I don't know what but they want something." She growled and unwrapped his arm.

"Relax." He said again.

"Dude it's the real Tak Mashido himself!" Max said excitedly as they were led to another part of the suite. Soon they saw the owner of Zeus sitting on a couch. She invited them to sit across from her.

"Nice but a little far from the ring for me." Charlie said.

"I brought you here because I'd like to buy your robots. Both of them." She said with her Russian accent, "I'll pay $20,000 each."

Charlie's eyes got big because that was enough to pay off his debts.

"He's not for sale." Max said staring her down.

"Woah, Max let's think about this-"Charlie started.

"He's **not** for sale! Not now, not ever!" Max stormed out and Charlie went after him.

She turned her Gaze to Zada.

"You know the only reason you want to buy our bots is because you're scared. You're scared that we'll beat Zeus and you won't be able to control this industry with your money anymore. Guess what, we wont sell them and we'll beat Zeus to pieces. By the way you're a bitch for trying to crush a 12 year old boy's dreams." Zada stood up.

Farra Lemkova stood up, "How **dare** you speak to me like that!" She scratched Zada across her cheek with her long nails, hard enough to draw blood.

"You stuck up, spoiled, little bitch!" Zada said when her hand came off her scratch with blood on it.

"Yes, be scared of me!" She proclaimed.

"Bitch! Oohh, you scratched me! I'm sssooo scared! I've fought punching bags tougher than you!" Zada Snapped.

"How dare you insult me!"

"I'm Zada Xander and I WILL avenge my father and beat your bully bot! Here's a taste of what he'll feel." Zada knocked her out and left to find Max and Charlie.

**()()()()()()**

"What the hell happened to you?" Charlie asked when he saw Zada.

"A spoiled, catty, bitchy, rich girl happened." She explained as she grabbed a rag and wiped up the blood running down her cheek.

"She ask you to sell Abel too?" He asked.

"Yeah and I told her what I thought. She didn't like it and let's just say she's out cold." She filled in.

"What'd you tell her?" Max asked.

"Let's just say I more or less stood up for you, Kido." Zada said.

"Thanks, Za." Max hugged her waist.

Zada hugged him back as he gave an odd look to Charlie as he shrugged back.

**()()()()()()**

Well what do you think? Guess it turns out Vincenzo was wrong. Zada and Charlie are kinda perfect for each other. That's even considering Max liked her, but even if he didn't he'd be going to live with his aunt at the end of the summer anyway.

Anyway Max and Charlie were fighting their way through the league fights with Zada one step behind them. Then Max Challenged Zeus. He want back with his aunt then the Zeus people called. Zada and Charlie talked his aunt into letting them take him for a night. It was a good fight. It'll take Zeus at least 2 months to come back. This is what unfolded afterwards.

**()()()()()()**

"Max! They're already calling your bot the peoples' champ, what do you think?" A reporter asked as the crowd roared.

"That'll work." The crowd got even louder.

Charlie put Max on his shoulders and called Zada in the ring. He kissed her with an arm raised and the crowd went wild. When they pulled back, she called for the mic. The crowd died down as she grabbed it.

"Thank you! Let me tell you what happened a few months ago. Farra Lemkova offered to buy Atom and my bot Abel because she was scared that one if not both of us could beat their precious Zeus. Well look at what happened here tonight!" The crowd roared and booed the Zeus crew, "Well I have a little challenge for them. You name the date, time, and place and I'll be there with my bot and I'll win. If I don't you can have my bot. however if I win, you have to pay off my debts, his debt's," She pointed at Charlie, "And quit fighting robots. So what do you say?" She asked as the crowd began a chant of, "Take it! Take it! Take it!"

Tak and Farra talked a little bit and finally she said, "We'll take it." With her "royal" Russian accent.

The crowd roared as the ring cleared out, "Give me a call when you're ready." Zada said too sweetly as she handed her, her phone number written on a napkin.

**()()()()()()**

Zada was suddenly awaken by eye of the tiger from Rocky Balboa. She realized her phone was ringing.

"Lance! I swear to god, I'll kick your ass if you're calling to give me money or invite me over!" She growled half asleep.

"Man, I'm glad I'm not Lance" Came Charlie's voice.

"Charlie! What do you want? Is everything ok?" She sat up in bed, suddenly awake.

"Everything's fine but Max keeps having nightmares and I have **NO** idea of what to do. So since you're so good at this stuff I was hoping you could come talk to him." Charlie explained.

"Sure where are you?" she got up and started to get dressed.


	4. Let's Kick Some Ass

**A.N. - I know this one is kinda short but it's all I could muster. Thanks for hangin in there. Again please r&r and I own nothing except Zada factor x and Abel!**

**()()()()()()**

"Thank you so much." Charlie said as he let Zada in the back of the truck.

"No problem now shoo." She shut the door on him.

"Hey Max, I hear you're having nightmares. What are they about?" she asked sitting on the edge of the bed, turned to face him.

"They're about my mom." He sniffed.

"You miss her don't you?" She asked.

Max nodded his head.

"Oh I know Honey." She pulled him into a hug, his head on her chest, "It'll be okay. I promise. I know what it's like to loose a parent. Just give it time." She cooed holding herself together surprisingly well.

"Do you miss your parents?" He asked thickly.

"Everyday, but the pain eases in time." She laid him back down, "You know, there's something my dad used to tell me when I woke up with bad dreams. He'd say, "Zada, if you just think of the bad dream as a speed bag and the faster you punch it, the faster it'll go away." And it worked." She tucked him in and laid with him until he was asleep.

**()()()()()()**

"How is he?" Charlie asked as Zada climbed in the cab of his truck with him.

"He'll be okay now." She said quietly, "I just understand what he feels in a way."

Charlie pulled her closer and into a hug. Zada leaned up and kissed him. She pulled him to lay down and he started unbuttoning her shirt. She ran her hands through his hair as his mouth moved to her jaw. His fingers hooked under her bra straps and gently pushed her open shirt to expose her shoulders. He pulled off his shirt before his mouth covered her bare shoulder. Zada's hands traced his every muscle, committing it to memory. Charlie left a trail of hot kisses to the hem of her jeans, where he unbuttoned them and ever so slowly worked them down. Once her jeans were off she worked on his and growled when she couldn't get it.

"Easy there, Killer." He giggled, "Here, let me help." He unbuttoned his pants and pushed them off along with his boxers.

Zada unhooked her bra and Charlie took it off throwing it to the floor. Immediately, a nipple was taken hostage by his mouth and the other by his hand Zada moaned as he switched between his hand and mouth, repeating the process a few times. She arched her back and kicked off her underwear and Charlie's mouth moved to her collarbone, then up her neck, along her jaw, and back to her mouth. Her strong legs wrapped around him as he entered her, pumping hard, fast, and wild. They came in unison, moaning their orgasms into each other's mouths. They lay there panting for a few minutes.

"How about we move to a bed?" Zada asked.

"You're on it, Honey." Charlie said kissing her neck.

"Um… my truck is right next door, which happens to have living quarters in it." She said strain to contain a whimper.

"So?"

"Okay, living quarters includes a bed, Dumbass!" She snapped.

"They moved, leaving most of their clothes in Charlie's truck, and slept on her bed. Zada's head on Charlie's chest, his arms wrapped protectively around her.

**()()()()()()**

"Zada, wake up! Zada!" She heard a small voice call. She brushed it off and snuggled closer to Charlie.

Suddenly a hand pushed on her back, "Zada! Wake up!"

She turned to find Max standing there.

"What do you want, Max?" She groaned sleepily.

"1- Charlie has to take me back and 2- some guy walked into the truck looking for you." He snapped.

"Okay, go tell him I'll be out in a minute and I'll get Charlie up." She shooed Max out.

Zada turned to Charlie and kissed his bare chest, "Hey Babe." She said softly.

Charlie tightened an arm around her, a smirk appearing on his face.

She kissed up his chest, over his collarbone, along his neck, along his jaw, then a long, hot, passionate kiss on his mouth, "Good morning." She smiled when they pulled apart.

"That's one way to wake me up." He kissed her again.

"We have to go, and all your clothes are in your truck." She moved to sit on the edge of the bed.

"Do I need clothes?" He asked as he watched her walk over to her dresser and starts to pull clothes out of it and throw them on the bed.

"Yes. Look Max said somebody's looking for me and I have a feeling it's Lance. I used to owe him money but I paid him off. However, in Lance's little world we're practically married. So he tends to get extremely jealous and his sharks are merciless." She explained putting on her bra and underwear, "Here cover up with this." She threw a towel at him.

**()()()()()()**

"She said she'd be out in a few minutes." Max told the tall man with dark hair.

"Thanks, Kid." He said.

"For god's sake! I Know I'm a **kid**! I don't need to be reminded every damn time I talk to someone!" Max yelled and stormed into Charlie's truck.

"Who the hell are you?" he turned to find Zada in a low cut tank top, hip hugger jeans, and her hair in a braid down her back.

"My name is John Riley. I'm-" he started with a hungry shark smile.

"So? I don't owe you money so get the hell out." She snapped.

"Well there's the fiery temper he mentioned."

"Who mentioned?"

"Like I tried to say, I'm a close friend of Lance. I'm sure you remember Lance." He looked at her with a hunger in his eyes.

"What the hell do you want?"

"I'd like to sponsor you for your fight with Zeus." He said.

"**YOU **can fuck off. I don't need your fucking money." She growled, getting dangerously tense.

"I thought you would say that." A big man walked from behind John up to Zada. When he reached for her, she hit him with a right jab and a left roundhouse.

"If you don't leave I'll drop you like your boyfriend here, then run you both over with my truck on my way out of here." She growled still in her boxing stance.

John quickly left, as another shark picked up the man she'd knocked out.

**()()()()()()**

"Ladies and gentlemen! The reining W.R.B. world Champion, I give you Zeus!" The announcer bellowed in the mic, "And the challenger! Please welcome a bell from hell that will take your breath away… please put your hands together for Abel!" The crowd went wild as Zada walked out with Abel. She caught a glimpse of Charlie, Max, and Max's aunt in the front row by her corner. She lifted Max over the barrier and brought him to the ring side after a quick kiss to Charlie.

When the bell rang, Abel met Zeus in the middle of the ring. When Zeus took big swings Abel dodged them, then got in some good body blows, from behind. Zeus would beat on him and get him stuck in a corner every once in awhile but Abel always got out of it unscathed. At the end of the fourth round Zeus was wore out but he managed to disconnect the voice recognition.

"Boy am I Glad I got that shadow software for him. You gave me the idea Max." she gave Max a kiss to the cheek.

"You think you can win this?" he asked.

"Honey, this fight'll be over in the first thirty seconds of the next round. You just wait and see." She smiled.

When the bell rang Abel came out with a purpose and a vengeance. He made a series of quick hard lefts to Zeus's head, then a quick right body blow. Zeus staggered back and Abel hit him with a double up punch and Zeus finally fell. He didn't move and the count hit ten and the crowd got so wild Zada feared it might turn into a riot.

She was whisked into the ring with Max and Farra swore in Russian.

"What are your emotions on your win?" a reporter asked shoving his mic in her face.

Zada got them back and called for the ring mic and arena went silent as she climbed up the cord and brought the mic to her mouth.

"Hey! What a win, huh!" she said and the crowd cheered and she jumped back down, 'First of all I'd like to remind Farra of our deal. You're out of the W.R.B. Second I'd like to reveal who I am for those of you who don't know or believe the rumors that I know are going around. My name is Zada Xander." Everyone looked at her with stunned silence, "I did this for my father. Without his love and training I never would've made it. I'd also like to thank Charlie and Max Kenton for their help and support through… everything. Abel here did most of the work but I made him from scratch. Thank you all" the crowd cheered as Zada was suddenly lifted up. She found Charlie there and he kissed her passionately. Zada picked up Max and all three of them posed for reporters in front of Abel. Even though they'd been taking pictures the whole time.

**()()()()()()**

That's how Zeus was taken down and you know not only did it help the W.R.B. but it helped Zada heal from her losses. All I can say is that I'm proud of her. I'm proud that she found a place where she's happy and has the support of a good man that loves her for who she is and not who her father was. I guess what I'm trying to say is good-bye, I love you, and I'm proud that you're my daughter, Zada. I'll be leaving you now. I think Charlie is better able to protect and help you now. I can let go now and you can too. I love you, Za. Don't worry I'm with your mother now and we'll be waiting for you patently.


End file.
